The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-12-31

nevermore deigned to fondle and
caress us or speak kindly to us, and
while the children of our neighbors
were attending school and securing an
education we were growing up as ig-
norant OF A B C as an Indian is of
Christian rectitude. We felt that our
father was lost to us, and our young
heart, ached with grief
"'When the war broke out in 81 my
father was one of the first to 90 to the
front, and two years later, much
against the wishes of my darling
mother, |, too, succeeded in enlisting,
although not of the required age. l
need not detail to you my experience
during the war. l was twice wounded,
and when peace was declared was once
more pressed to the bosom of that
mother whose prayers | have often
thought were the cause of the great
Commander above sparing my young
life My father, too, was wounded
and died shortly after the war. He
was taken away from the home whose
happiness his fatal appetite for strong
drink had wrecked, but we mourned
his death with sincerity which could
not be questioned.
"'Just few months before father
died, mother was taken sick, and / felt
a keen, cutting pain at my heart as l
saw her sick day by day. One day - y
doctor came from her room to where /
was sitting respondent and weeping,
and said Johnny, l have sad news
for you, but you must bear up under
the great sorrow as well as you can,
your mother must soon leave YOU A
great fear came upon me, and l trem-
bled in every limb.
"'Oh! DOCTOR cried, do not tell
me that. Do not give her up. Save
her! Save her! and will be your slave
for life
The good, kind-hearted old man
placed his hand on my head and said:
MY dear boy, she is past all hui
man aid. Calm yourself as much as
you can and come with me. She
wishes to see YOU
He took my hand and led me into
the chamber which already rested
under the sombre shadows of the dark
wings of the Angel of Death. My
poor, darling mother lay there pale as
the pillow upon which her dear head
rested, upon her emaciated face a look
of calm resignation-such an express
sion as comes only to the dying Chris
tian whose hopes of Immortality be-
You'd the grave has been stamped with
the approving seal of the Almighty.
Weeping bitterly [ threw myself on
my knees at her bedside. Placing one
of her thin white hands in mine and
tAe other upon my head she said;
Johnny. my son, must leave
you. The Saviour has called me home,
and must obey. My dear boy, will
you make me one promise that l can
take up to Heaven with me; it will
then not be so hard to leave you on
this wicked earth?
"'Oh! motherr 1 cried, darling, be-
loved mother, will promise you any
thing-any thing-any thing
"'God bless you for those sweet
words, my precious boy, for l know
your truthful nature. and know you
will never break promise to your
dying mother. Promise me, my son,
that as long as you live drop of
liquor shall never pass your lips
Mother, promise it Here on my
bending knees promise God and the
angel He is soon to take from me that
l will never, as long as live. take one
drop of Intoxicating liquor.
my voice trembled, and paused a
moment to wipe the tears from my
eyes, movement which l observed
was initiated by several of those rough
frontiersmen. then continues:
"'Boys to this day l have faithfully
kept that promise, and | know that
the spirit of my dear aged mother has
ever been with me to guide me and
shield me when temptation assaulted
me.
land now shall pain that good
angel, whose presence and gent infu-
ence | can almost feel here with me to-
night, by breaking that pledge? Shall
take a drink with your
LAS | concluded | extended my hand
toward the liquor, but ere l could
reach it a pistol shot rang out upon tho
air, and the jug was shattered into
many pieces. At the same instant an
old scout named Bill Reed sprang to
his feet with the smoking pistol still
grasped in his brawny hand and
shouted:
"No, thousand times, no; and I've
jist signed the pledge myself with that
ere pistol ball. l had jist SIGH a
mother Jack, an she talked 10 me ist
as you'd did to you, but l war; wild
boy, pards, an soon forgot her teach
ms, although they come to me all
sparkled with mothers hoy tears
But look you var, boys, when the
noise o that shot reaches her ears up
in Heaven the smile that orter to u
bin on her face when she died II git
thar; and the pence that her dear souls
bin a-longin' fur III snuggle down in
her breast, fur l b'lieve God III give